I'm here!

I arrived at London Gatwick at 10 a.m. local time this morning, to cloudy skies and cigarette smoke and heavy luggage. I arrived in Oxford around 1:30 p.m., to sunshine and blue skies and Jacque! My dear friend, who was waiting for me at the bus station, flung her arms around me and exclaimed, "Welcome home!" I am home, indeed.

We took a taxi to Canterbury Road, lugged my stuff into the foyer of House 10, and had a lovely lunch in the House 9 back garden with my two favourite Morgans. Talk and laughter flew back and forth like the bees who buzzed around, apparently attracted to our food and the flowers nearby (which freaked Jacque out slightly). After a hot shower, Jacque and I strolled down to City Centre, where we had tea and scones at Queen's Lane Coffee House, supposedly the oldest in Oxford (est. 1654).

Jacque left to go meet her boyfriend, Mike, for dinner at his house, and I wandered back home, taking pictures all the way. Stopped in the 9-to-9 on North Parade to buy a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar and a nectarine, for a total of 84 pence. (Thank goodness for cheap fruit and loose change found in a drawer recently.) I then made myself some homemade pizza and have been chillin' out.

So I'm here. Not even too badly jet-lagged. And ready for a whole new adventure in my other home. I do miss my Jeremiah already. But tonight, my heart is at rest.